Regulating N-power won’t be easy: AERB official

Expansion of the nuclear power sector by setting up mega-sized reactors of differing technologies poses a challenge to regulators, according to director of nuclear projects safety division at the Atomic Energy Regulatory board, R I Gujarathi.

"We have good experience and well documented safety measures pertaining to pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR). However, the new challenge is from imported light water reactors and domestically designed fast breeder and advanced heavy water reactors," Gujarathi told newspersons in Chennai on Tuesday.

Speaking on the challenges of atomic energy regulation in the changed Indian context at a conference on nuclear energy, he said India would increase its atomic power capacity by nearly 10 times in the next 10 years.

With a series of imported light water reactors set to dot the nuclear power landscape in the country, these too have to adhere to current Indian regulations, Gujarathi said. "The challenge is in the differences in standards and codes and their validation between the Indian equipment and that of imported ones."

He said AERB has planned to set up regional regulatory centres in south, east and northern parts of the country to effectively monitor growing number of diagnostic labs using radio nuclides - material used for diagnostic and treatment of ailments.

"We are also pursuing with state governments the need to set up a directorate of radiation safety," he added.